Collapsible tube squeezing device



W 3967 N. J. KEMMER 3,333,455

COLLAPSIBLE TUBE SQUEEZING DEVICE Filed June 18, 1965 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR NICHOLAS J. KEMMER ATTORNEY w-' 111, 1%? N. J. KEMMER 3,313,455

COLLAPSIBLE TUBE SQUEEZING DEVICE Filed June 18, l965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR NICHOLAS J. KEMMER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,313,455 COLLAPSIBLE TUBE SQUEEZING DEVICE Nicholas .I. Kemmer, 841 Wilson Ave., Novato, Calif. 94947 Filed June 18, 1965, S81. No. 465,092 4 Claims. (Cl. 222103) This invention relates to tube squeezing devices, and more particularly to an improved squeezing device for ejecting the contents of collapsible tubes.

The improved collapsible tube squeezer, comprises essentially an open-ended, semi-rigid, resilient tubular housing formed from plastic, for example, polyethylene of suitable density, said housing having a body portion of generally elliptical cross-section, terminating in a head portion designed to conform to the configuration of the dispensing end of a conventional collapsible tube, and a tail portion having clamping means for closing the open end thereof. The body portion of the housing is formed with a pair of oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending thin wall sections, and a pair of oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending relatively thick wall sections, said pairs of wall sections being arranged at right angles with respect to the major and minor axes of the ellipticalshaped sections. The exterior surfaces of the relatively thick wall portions are slightly flattened, whereby the contents of the collapsible tube may be uniformly dispensed by applying pressure to the housing within the area defined by said flattened surfaces, as will be described more fully hereinafter.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved squeezing device for ejecting the contents of collapsible tubes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved collapsible tube squeezing device designed to uniformly dispense the contents of a tube, such as toothpaste, shaving cream, grooming aids, and like viscous or semi-viscous substances.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved squeezer for ejecting the contents of collapsible tubes, comprising an open-ended resilient tubular housing having a head portion designed to conform to the configuration of the dispensing end of the collapsible tube, and a corrugated tail portion having longitudinally adjustable clamping means for clamping the tail portion into closed position.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved squeezer for ejecting the contents of collapsible tubes, comprising an open-ended resilient tubular housing, the walls of which are of differential thicknesses in the vicinity of the pressure applying areas, whereby to uniformly dispense the contents of the tube in controlled, desired quantities.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved collapsible tube squeezing device which is strong and rugged in construction, characterized by easy operation and not liable to get out of order even after long and continued use.

With these and other objects in view, which may be incident to my improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations to be hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements, comprising my invention, may be varied in construction, proportions and arrangement, without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

In order to make my invention more clearly understood, I have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical effect, without limiting the improvements in their useful applications to the particular constructions which, for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the collapsible tube squeezing device of the present invention, with a wall portion thereof broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the tube squeezing device of FIGURE 1;

FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 are sectional views taken along lines 3, 4 and 5, respectively, of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the squeezing device shown in FIGURE 1, with a wall portion broken away, showing a collapsible dispensing tube operatively positioned within the device;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a closure member used to close one end of the tube squeezer;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view along line 8-8 of FIG- URE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified tube squeezing device, showing a collapsible dispensing tube operatively positioned therein;

FIGURE 10 is a side elevational view of the tube squeezing device of FIGURE 9; and

FIGURES 11 and 12 are sectional views along lines 11 and 12, respectively, of FIGURE 10.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURES l and 2, the collapsible tube squeezing device comprises an open-ended tubular housing 1 having a body portion 2, generally elliptical-shape in cross-section, formed with a head portion 3 and a tail portion 4. The head portion is designed to conform to the configuration of the dispensing end of a conventional collapsible tube 5, as shown in FIGURE 6, the crown 6 of the head portion being tapered to receive the complementary tapered neck 7 of a collapsible tube in snug seated engagement. It will be observed that the body portion of the housing is formed with a pair of relatively thin, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending wall sections 8, and a pair of relatively thick, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending Wall sections 9, said pairs of wall sections being arranged at right angles with respect to the major and minor axes of the elliptical-shaped sections. It will be further observed that the relatively thick wall sections 9 have flattened exterior surfaces 9, and are gradually tapered in the direction of the head portion 3, thus merging into a reduced neck 19 contiguous with the thicker tapered crown 5 of the head, the opening 11 therein having a shear cut edge 12, FIGURE 2.

The construction and arrangement of wall sections 8 and 9, in conjunction with the differential thicknesses of certain portions of the wall of the housing are important features of the invention; the design of these elements being correlated to provide controlled, uniform ejection of the contents of the collapsible tube. The flattened surfaces 9' of the relatively thick wall sections 9 provide areas for application of pressure to compress the walls of the tube squeezing device, which in turn, transmits the applied pressure uniformly to corresponding portions of the Wall of the tube. The reduced neck portion 1i and the relatively thin wall sections 8 permit limited fiexion in these areas as the dispensing operation progresses, in order that the collapsible tube will be substantially, completely flattened, after the contents has been dispensed.

Reference being had to FIGURES 2 and 6, it will be noted that the tail portion 4 of the collapsible tube squeezing device is formed with corrugations or ribs 13, the spaces 14 between adjacent ribs providing seats for small projections or ribs 15 carried by closure means 16, adapted to compress the tail portion and prevent the collapsible tube from falling out of the squeezing device during the dispensing operation. As will be seen in FIG- URE 7, the closure means In is in the form of a loop member having an open slot 17, by means of which the loop is threadable over the end of the corrugated tail portion to clamp the walls of said tail portion into substantially closed position. The closure means may be formed from a suitable plastic, and as noted above, is provided with small ribs 15, FIGURES 7 and 8, adapted to seat in the valleys between the ribs 13 formed on the tail portion.

In use, assuming that the loop 16 is in position on the tail portion of the tube squeezing device, the loop is removed, and the tail end portion of the squeezing device is brought into substantially circular shape by gripping the oppositely disposed walls 8 and applying pressure thereto. The dispensing end of the collapsible tube 5, with cap 18 in place, is then inserted into the squeezing device and pushed forward until the tapered neck 7, FIGURE 6, seats against the crown 6 of the squeezing device. The walls of the device assume various shapes to accommodate the individual tubes being positioned therein, however, said walls return to their original shape after the tube is in its operative dispensing position. The cap 18 is then removed from the tube 5, and the tail end portion 4 is compressed so that it may be threaded through the slot 17 of the loop, and the loop moved in the direction of the dispensing end of the tube, until there is a slight flow of the contents therefrom, whereupon the inner portions 15' of the small ribs 15 carried by the loop are brought to seated position in the nearest space 14 between successive ribs 13, thus compressing the tail end portion to substantially closed position. The loop remains in this position until the tube is empty. After the contents has been dispensed, the loop is removed, the empty tube withdrawn, and a filled tube is installed.

The above-described medium size tube squeezing device will accommodate collapsible tubes having a crown diameter of approximately 1 or less, and a length of about 6 or less. The tail end of the device should be approximately 1 longer than the tube, in order to permit the loop to effect its clamping action with minimum initial flow of contents, when the loop is being applied while the cap is removed. It will be understood that the dimensions of the squeezing device set forth hereinabove are for purposes of illustration only, and that the basic concepts involved in the present invention will be incorporated in larger or smaller collapsible tubes having specifically different dimensions.

Referring to FIGURES 9-12, there is shown a modified form of tube squeezing device, wherein the collapsible tube is positioned in a housing comprising a pair of arcuate-shaped walls 19, in lieu of being enclosed in a tubular housing, as previously described. The walls 19 are joined to the head portion 3, and terminate in corrugated tail portions 4. As in the previously described embodiment of the invention, the walls 19 are formed with a pair of oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending sections 20 having relatively fiat exterior surfaces 20, for the application of pressure to compress the walls of the device into contact with portions of the tube wall. It will be noted that the wall sections 20 are gradually tapered in the direction of the head portion 3, thus forming a neck of reduced thickness in order to permit limited flexing in the vicinity of the neck area during the dispensing operation. The tail portions 4 of the device are clamped together, FIGURE 9, by means of the loop 16, the small rib members thereof being adapted to seat between selected adjacent ribs 13 of the tail portions.

In use, assuming that the tube squeezing device is in the condition shown in FIGURE 10, the tube is introduced through the tail portion of the device and pushed forward until the tapered neck 7 of the tube seats against the crown 6 of the head portion of the device. The corrugated tail portions are then forced into contact, or at least compressed sufliciently to permit the end portions to be threaded through the loop and moved to desired seated position. The contents of the tube is dispensed through the nozzle 18' by applying pressure to the thickened sections 20 of the arcuate-shaped walls of the squeezing device.

While I have shown and described preferred embodi ments of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction herein set forth by way of illustration, as it is apparent that many changes and variations may be made therein, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An improved tube squeezing device of the character described comprising, an open-ended resilient tubular housing for receiving a conventional collapsible tube of the type having a sealed end and a tapered neck portion at the dispensing end thereof, said resilient tubular housing having a head portion and a tail portion, said head portion being tapered to slidably receive the complementary tapered neck portion of the collapsible tube, a loop member mounted on the tail portion of the resilient tubular housing for clamping the tail portion of the housing in closed position in proximity to the sealed end of the collapsible tube to thereby force the tapered neck portion of the collapsible tube into snug seated engagement against the head portion of the housing, whereby the tube is held within the housing, said loop member being slidable on said tail portion, whereby collapsible tubes of various lengths can be held in clamped position within the housing, and corrugations integrally formed on the tail portion of the housing cooperating with ribs integrally formed on the loop member to thereby provide retaining means for maintaining the loop at the predetermined clamping position on the tail portion of the housing.

2. An improved tube squeezing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the tubular housing is tapered and of graduated, substantially elliptical-shaped cross-section, said housing being formed with a pair of oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending relatively thick wall sections and a pair of oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending relatively thin wall sections, said pairs of wall sections being arranged in spaced relation at approximately right angles, whereby upon application of pressure to the relatively thick wall sections, the applied pressure is distributed over a relatively large area of the interior surfaces of the wall sections in the vicinity of the points of application of pressure.

3. An improved tube squeezing device of the character described comprising, a pair of spaced, arcuate-shaped, resilient walls forming a housing terminating in a head portion and a tail portion, said walls being joined only at the head portion, said head portion being tapered for slidably receiving the complementary tapered neck portion of a conventional collapsible tube, a loop member mounted on the tail portion of the housing for clamping the tail portion of the housing in closed position in proximity to the sealed end of tthe collapsible tube to thereby force the tapered neck portion of the collapsible tube into snug seated engagement against the head portion of the housing, whereby the tube is held within the housing, said loop member being slidable on said tail portion, whereby collapsible tubes of various lengths can be held in clamped position within the housing, and corrugations integrally formed on the tail portion of the housing cooperating with ribs integrally formed on the loop member to thereby provide retaining means for maintaining the loop at the predetermined clamping position on the tail portion of the housing.

4. A tube squeezing device according to claim 3, wherein the walls are formed with a pair of oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending sections having relatively flat exterior surfaces, said longitudinally extending sections being gradually tapered in the direction of the head portion to thereby form a neck of reduce thickness to permit limited flexing in the vicinity of the neck area during the dispensing operation.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 2,689,066 9/1954 Budnik 222103 2,862,496 12/1958 Hassler et a1 222103 X 2,902,063 9/1959 Keesee 22296 X FOREIGN PATENTS 506,861 12/1954 Italy.

ROBERT E. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

N. L. STACK, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN IMPROVED TUBE SQUEEZING DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING, AN OPEN-ENDED RESILIENT TUBULAR HOUSING FOR RECEIVING A CONVENTIONAL COLLAPSIBLE TUBE OF THE TYPE HAVING A SEALED END AND A TAPERED NECK PORTION AT THE DISPENSING END THEREOF, SAID RESILIENT TUBULAR HOUSING HAVING A HEAD PORTION AND A TAIL PORTION, SAID HEAD PORTION BEING TAPERED TO SLIDABLY RECEIVE THE COMPLEMENTARY TAPERED NECK PORTION OF THE COLLAPSIBLE TUBE, A LOOP MEMBER MOUNTED ON THE TAIL PORTION OF THE RESILIENT TUBULAR HOUSING FOR CLAMPING THE TAIL PORTION OF THE RESILIENT ING IN CLOSED POSITION IN PROXIMITY TO THE SEALED END OF THE COLLAPSIBLE TUBE TO THEREBY FORCE THE TAPERED NECK PORTION OF THE COLLAPSIBLE TUBE INTO SNUG SEATED ENGAGEMENT AGAINST THE HEAD PORTION OF THE HOUSING, WHEREBY THE TUBE IS HELD WITHIN THE HOUSING, SAID LOOP MEMBER BEING SLIDABLE ON SAID TAIL PORTION, WHEREBY COLLAPSIBLE TUBES OF VARIOUS LENGTHS CAN BE HELD IN CLAMPED POSITION WITHIN THE HOUSING, AND CORRUGATIONS INTEGRALLY FORMED ON THE TAIL PORTION OF THE HOUSING COOPERATING WITH RIBS INTEGRALLY FORMED ON THE LOOP MEMBER TO THEREBY PROVIDE RETAINING MEANS FOR MAINTAINING THE LOOP AT THE PREDETERMINED CLAMPING POSITION ON THE TAIL PORTION OF THE HOUSING. 